I have a deep and abiding admiration for writers who are strong on plot. I worship writers who are strong on plot and writing. The problem is that the two rarely come in the same package. Ludlum is strong on plot. His literary chops, however, are not as impressive. THE BOURNE IDENTITY is the second book in two months I've picked up because of a movie. (Incidentally these are the two out of only three books in my life I ever picked up because of a movie--the third was HOOP DREAMS, based on the documentary of the same name.) THE BOURNE IDENTITY bears very little resemblence to the movie of the same name, even though my mass market paperback is plastered with Matt Damon's mug. However, it still features an amnesiac assassin (or in this case, would-be assassin), a love interest named Marie, and a long, 600 page chase through Europe and New York City. Ludlum is long on plot and jargon, short on literary skills. There are annoying elements to this book, like the distracting use of italics to indicate that someone is thinking, the repetition of the inane "Cain is for Charlie and Delta is for Cain. Trap Carlos. Kill Carlos"; and the somewhat wooden characters throughout. The moving guys at the end of the novel are the most laughably stereotypical blue collar New Yorkers I've ever read. The word "capische" is actually used. There's a lot of corny love talk between Marie and Jason. But what was most maddening was that the infamous "floating shoulders above a tapered waist" Carlos the Assassin is never captured or actually seen, thereby, of course, leaving the door open for several sequels.

One thing I liked very much about the book, though, was its sense of place. I feel Ludlum did a nice job evoking a sense of place in each of the European cities in which the book is sited. And so, for all my bitching and moaning about certain elements of the book, I--to paraphrase a New York Times reviewer--strained my wrists from turning the pages so fast. ( )

A good listen, and exactly what I wanted/expected when I chose it - a classic, maybe iconic, spy thriller. It is different enough from the movie that it kept me entertained, and Bourne's internal dialogue was new (ie not accessible through watching the movies) and interesting. Although sometimes repetitive.

Some of the 'action scenes' of who hit who where sustaining what type of injury were a bit on the tedious side, but if they had been less comprehensively described I might be complaining about not being able to follow them as a listener. I felt the same way about other descriptive elements, like very repetitive references to Marie's appearance, to his sense of fear and disorientation, etc, but overall I appreciate repeated orienting statements for enhancing the audio experience.

A lot of it takes place in Paris, and as usual I find French names challenging as a listener. Despite that I was able to follow without too much effort, and the narration was very good. I would have given this 3.5 stars but haven't figured out how to add half stars. ( )

He has no past. And he may have no future. His memory is blank. He only knows that he was flushed out of the Mediterranean Sea, his body riddled with bullets.

There are a few clues. A frame of microfilm surgically implanted beneath the flesh of his hip. Evidence that plastic surgery has altered his face. Strange things that he says in his delirium -- maybe code words. Initial: "J.B." And a number on the film negative that leads to a Swiss bank account, a fortune of four million dollars, and, at last, a name: Jason Bourne.

But now he is marked for death, caught in a maddening puzzle, racing for survival through the deep layers of his buried past into a bizarre world of murderous conspirators -- led by Carlos, the world's most dangerous assassin. And no one can help Jason Bourne but the woman who once wanted to escape him.

His memory is blank. His bullet-ridden body was fished from the Mediterranean Sea. His face has been altered by plastic surgery. A frame of microfilm has been surgically implanted in his hip. Even his name is a mystery. Marked for death, he is racing for survivasl through aa bizarre world of murderous conspirators--led by Carlos, the world's most dangerous assassin.… (more)